SEO Vs SEM: Which is Better to Focus on First?

When launching your marketing campaign, all you want is results, fast. You want to get great returns from your investment and ensure that the money you’ve invested does not go to waste.

SEO and SEM are great tools that will use to generate leads to your website. The problem comes when trying to make a choice to determine which to give more preference than the other.

SEM or Search Engine Marketing entails the use of paid tactics to generate leads. Every time a potential client clicks on your link, you’ll pay for it.

For SEO or Search Engine Optimization, you will optimize your website to get organic traffic from search engines. Though you will be able to carry out your SEO campaigns for free, there are times you’ll consider incurring cost especially, where the competition is very high.

Now to the main issue, where do you focus first?

To answer this question, you need to consider the following:

The competition in your industry: if there is huge competition for the target keywords, you’ll consider SEM first. If there are huge organic content voids that require filling, SEO will work best for you.

Your market segment knowledge: if you do not know how your market segment works and you need to test your products or services, consider SEM first. If you are aware that your products and services have a lasting value and are in constant demand, use SEO.

The SEM cost in your industry: if the SEM cost in your industry is very high, consider SEO first. If the SEM cost is lower in your industry, go for it first.

Duration you’ve been running your business or website: if you are new in the field and your online presence is at its lowest, start with SEM. If you have already established your online presence, SEO is the way to go.

You also need to consider your website’s current SEO status when making your choice. if you have a long way to go in terms of SEO, choose SEM first. If your website’s optimization is currently fair, you can consider Search Engine Optimization.